This past week, we welcomed in the month of Adar, the month leading up to Purim. And this year, because we are in a leap year on the Jewish calendar, we have two months of Adar. We are told to feel a sense of joy during this month because of the miracle of the Purim story. But it’s not the only thing we are supposed to think about, and not the only message of the holiday.
The name of the month - Adar - is related to the word “adir.” This word denotes power and strength, and is often used to refer to the Jewish people, particularly in the context of the Purim story. In focusing on the ‘adir-ness’ of the month, we aren’t just joyful because of the Purim miracle, but we celebrate our resilience and our ability to overcome difficulty. In this year of having two months of Adar, it’s a time to think about doubling not just our joy but also doubling our strength and celebrating the miracles of our own human resilience.
I love that the Hebrew language has many different words that translate to ‘joy’ - there are at least six! Commentators explain that each one connotes a different type of joy. One of these words, chedva, is the particular type of joy that comes when we are able to overcome obstacles. I believe this word, with it’s very specific meaning, is built into our language because we are a people that know that particular type of joy. We are a people that has overcome obstacles, and that instills power and strength into our identities; chedva is a facet of our adir-ness.
There are elements of each of our lives where we could use a little bit of strength, where we could use a boost to push ourselves through something difficult. While these months of Adar might not allow us to overcome it entirely, I hope these two months ahead can give us the power and the strength to move one small step forward. May this month bring each of us chedva, that particular type of joy.
